University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Women's Basketball Shoots Past URI, 71-61
January 30, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2010
KINGSTON, R.I. - Behind 44.4% shooting, the UMass women's basketball team rolled to a 71-61 victory over Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon at the Ryan Center. Sophomore Kristina Danella led a balanced effort for the Minutewomen (8-13, 2-4 A-10), with 17 points. The Rams drop to 9-13 and 2-5 in the conference following the loss.
Joining Danella in double figures for UMass was redshirt junior Megan Zullo with 13 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists. Senior Diatiema Hill and sophomore Nicole Jones followed with nine points apiece, while Hill added a team-high seven rebounds and six assists, as well. Freshman Jasmine Watson chipped in with six boards and junior Cerie Mosgrove had six points.
A pair of buckets by Lindsay Harris and Megan Shoniker gave Rhode Island an early 4-2 lead, but following a pair of free throws by Danella at 15:51, UMass caught fire. The Minutewomen scored 10 straight points to start off an 18-4 run over a four-minute, 12-second stretch, to build a 20-8 advantage.
Shoniker answered with a jumper for the Rams at 11:22. However, the UMass defense held Rhode Island without a field goal over nearly 10 minutes. Harris eventually ended the draught for URI by making a layup with 49 seconds left in the period. The Minutewomen drained seven threes in the first half, shooting 50% from beyond the arc, to help put the Rams in a 37-20 hole at the intermission.
More of the same continued in the second as basket by Hill with 5:22 remaining in the contest gave UMass its largest lead of the afternoon, 23, at 67-44. The Rams ended the game on a 17-4 run, but the Minutewomen maintained a double-digit cushion to the buzzer.
UMass finished 24-for-54 from the field, 11-for-26 (42.3%) from three and went 12-for-16 (75.0%) at the free throw line. Rhode Island shot 21-for-52 (40.4%) overall, 3-for-11 (27.3%) from three and 16-for-22 (72.7%) at the charity stripe.
Harris had a game-high 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Rams, followed by Shoniker with 16 points and seven assists. Lara Gaspar totaled nine points and three steals for URI.
UMass will be back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 2, as the Minutewomen will play host to St. Bonaventure at 7 p.m. in the Mullins Center.
